Patriots owner Robert Kraft has joined the growing group of voices in support of Bill Belichick, after the former longtime NFL coach found out he would not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
“Whatever perceptions may exist about any personal differences between Bill and me, I strongly believe Bill Belichick’s record and body of work speak for themselves,” Kraft said in a statement. “As head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, he set the standard for on-field excellence, preparation, and sustained success in the free agency and salary-cap era of the National Football League. He is the greatest coach of all time and he unequivocally deserves to be a unanimous first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.”
Tom Brady, who was Belichick’s quarterback for all six of his Super Bowl wins with the Patriots, said in a radio interview Wednesday with Seattle Sports 710-AM that Belichick’s snub was “ridiculous.”
“I don’t understand it,” Brady said. “If he’s not a first-ballot Hall of Famer, there’s really no coach that should ever be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, which is completely ridiculous because people deserve it.”
Kraft, who also is a finalist for the Hall’s class of 2026, is one of countless individuals to endorse Belichick’s candidacy following Tuesday’s shocking news that the eight-time Super Bowl champion would not be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.
The Hall of Fame issued a statement addressing the furor over Belichick’s first-ballot snub, saying, “It is an honor to serve as a selector. If it is determined that any member[s] violated the selection process bylaws, they understand action will be taken. That could include the possibility that such selector[s] would not remain a member of the committee moving forward.
“The selection of a new class is the most important duty the Hall of Fame oversees each year, and the integrity of that process cannot be in question.”
In order to be inducted, a finalist needs to secure at least 40 votes from the 50-person selection committee. In addition to Kraft (contributor) and Belichick (coach), the three “senior” finalists are former Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson, the 1981 MVP; former 49ers running back Roger Craig, a three-time Super Bowl champion; and late Steelers defensive lineman L.C. Greenwood, a four-time Super Bowl champion.
Each member of the selection committee can vote for three finalists, so a maximum of three finalists will be enshrined. If no finalist receives the necessary 80 percent of the votes, then the individual who received the most votes will be inducted.
This year marks the first time Kraft has become a finalist. He had reached the semifinalist stage for multiple years.
The Class of 2026 is scheduled to be announced on Feb. 5 as part of the NFL Honors ceremony ahead of the Super Bowl.
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com. Follow her on X @nicolecyang.